Automatic straw-stacker attachment.



No. 639,840. Patented Dec. 26, I899.

W. C. WILKA.

AUTOMATIC STRAW STACKER ATTACHMENT.

(Application filed Apr. 28, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

THE NORRIS PETERS co., PHOTD-UTHQ. wnsnmsmn, a. c.

WILLIAM c. WILKA, or ROCK RAPIDS, IOWA.

AUTOMATIC STRAW-STACKER ATTACHM Eur;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent at. 639,840, dated December26, 1899;

Application filed A ril 28, 1899.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM C. WILKA, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rock Rapids, in the county of Lyon and State of Iowa, haveinvented a new and useful Automatic Straw-Stacker Attachment, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved automatic straw-stacker attachmentfor threshing-machines; and it has for its object to provide a new anduseful apparatus of this character having simple and reliable means forautomatically swinging the elevator back and forth in a lateraldirection to provide for evenly distributing the straw onto the stack.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel trip-gearmechanism which positively insures the swinging of the elevator withaccuracy and precision; andthe invention also contemplates improvedmeans for suspending the elevator, whereby the same may freely swingback and forth in a lateral direction under the actuatinginfluence ofthe operating gearing or mechanism.

With these and other objects in View, which will readily appear as thenature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in thenovel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinaftermore fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

While the essential features of the invention are necessarilysusceptible to modification without departing from the spirit or scopethereof, still the preferred embodiment of theimprovements is shown inthe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view ofan automatic straw-stacker attachment fitted to the rear end of athreshing-machine. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of thetrip-gear mechanism for the elevator. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional viewon the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. at is a detail elevation of thetrip-gear mechanism, showing one position thereof. Fig. 5 is a similarview of the tripgear mechanism, showing a different position from thatillustrated in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detail vertical sectional view on theline 6 6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a detail in perspective of thetraveler-sheave for the suspending-cable.

Like numerals of reference designate like Serial No. 7l4,891. (N0model.)

and corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings; the numeral 1 designates thecasing of a threshing-machine, having at the rear end thereof thehorizontal sill extensions 2, upon which is rigidly fastened ahorizontal circular supporting-base 3, provided therein with a centralbearing-opening 4 and revolubly supporting on the upper side thereof thehori zontal circular oscillatory turn-table 5. The said oscillatoryturn-table 5,which is mounted for partial rotation upon thesupporting-base 3, is designed to support and carry therewith theinclined elevator for delivering the straw onto the stack, and toprovide for the proper support of this elevator the said oscillatoryturn-table has rigidly fastened to the upper side thereof a transversebracket-beam 6. The bracket-beam 6 by reason of its rigid connectionwith the turn-table 5 is movable therewith, and said beam is provided atits opposite ends with the upstanding journal-plates 7, having at theirupper extremities horizontal laterally-projecting journal-pins 8 8, thejournal-pins 8 8 of the upstanding j ournal-plates 7 being disposed inthe same direction and adapted to detachably and loosely receive thereonthe bearing collars 9 at the lower ends of the hinge-arms 10, dependingfrom opposite sides of the laterally-swinging inclined elevator-frame11. The disposition of the pins 8 8 in the same direction permits theelevator-frame being readily slipped laterally on and off of the saidpins in setting up and taking the machine apart; but in the use of themachine the suspending device for the elevator-frame holds the latter soevenly balanced as to obviate any tendency thereof to slip from the saidpins. The said inclined elevator-frame is of the ordinary construction,but in the present invention preferably consists of the separatesections 11 and 11", joined at their contiguous or meeting ends by ahinge-joint 12, which permits of the outer section 11 of the frame beingfolded upon the inner section when it is desired to arrange the parts ofthe apparatus in as compact relation as possible for transportationpurposes. The elevator-frame 11 has the lower end thereof projected asufficient distance inward from the pendent hinge-arms so as to receivethereon the straw which falls from the delivery-chute 13 of thethreshing-machine at the extreme rear end thereof, and the straw whichis thus directed onto the lower inner end portion of the elevator-frameis caught up by the endless elevator-apron 14 and elevated onto thestack. The said endless elevator-apron 14 essentially consists of a pairof offset parallel sprocket-chains 15 and a plurality of transverseregularly-spaced slats 16, connecting the opposite chains at intervals,and said slats 16 are preferably of a convexed form and are secured attheir ends in sockets 17, projected inwardly from certain links of thechains, as plainly shown in Figs. 2 and 6 of the drawings. The endlesselevator-apron 14 extends the entire length of the inclinedelevatorframe 11, and the sprocket-chains15 thereof pass over the chainor sprocket wheels 18, fitted on the upper and lower apron-shafts 19 and20, which are respectively mounted at the upper and lower ends of theelevator-- frame and transversely thereof. The upper apron-shaft acts inthe capacity of an idler for the endless elevator 14, while the lower ofsaid shafts 20 serves to impart motion to the apron and has mounted onone end thereof a chain-wheel 21, which in turn receives its motion froma chain 22, driven from a sprocket or chain wheel 23 on the outer end ofa hori zontal eountei-shaft 24, journaled in suitable bearings on top ofthe bracket-beam 6 and carrying at its inner end a vertically-disposedbevel gear-pinion 25. The bevel gear-pinion 25 at the inner end of thecounter-shaft 24 meshes with an adjacent horizontally-disposed bevelgear-pinion 26 at the upper end of a vertical pivot-shaft 27, turning inthe central alined bearing-openings of the turn-table 5 and thesupporting-base 3 therefor. The lower end of the vertical pivot-shaft 27has a bevel-gear connection 28 with the outer end of the horizontaldrive-shaft 29, journaled in longitudinally-alined bearings fitted tothe sills of the threshing-machine casin g and car rying at its innerend a bevel gear-wheel 31, meshing with an adjacent similar wheel 32,mounted on the transverse shaft 33, which is driven by a suitable beltconnection with one of the working shafts of the threshing-machine. Theconnections described provide for imparting a continuous rotation notonly to the drive-shaf t 29, but also to the elevatorapron, whereby thelatter will be in continuous motion during the operation of the gearmechanism for swinging the elevator-frame back and forth.

In connection with the mounting of the elevator-frame upon theturn-table it will be observed that by shifting the same laterally itwill be readily engaged with or disengaged from the laterally-projectingjournalpins 8, as may be plainly seen in Fig. 6 of the drawings.

The horizontal oscillatory turn-table 5 is provided at one side of itspivot and upon the lower side thereof with a gear-segment uprightswinging trip lever 45.

portion thereof pivotally and loosely mounted on the horizontaldrive-shaft 29, so as to be free to swing to either side of the saidshaft, and at its upper edge the said gearing-holder is cut away to forma clearance-recess 39 for the stub-shaft 36 and the pinion 35, carriedthereby. The oscillatory gearing-holder 38, which is preferably mountedupon the driveshaft in the manner described, carries a pair of spacedgear-wheels and 41, which are journaled within the holder respectivelyat opposite sides of said drive-shaft. The said spaced gear-wheels 40and 41 are disposed in a vertical plane to the master-gear 37 below thelatter and are designed to be alternately thrown into mesh therewith toprovide for swinging the inclined elevator alternately in oppositedirections, and between the pair of spaced gear-wheels 4O and4l isarranged a drivc'pinion 42 and an idler-pinion 43, which mesh with eachother, said drive-pinion 42 also meshing with the gear-wheel 41 and theidler-pinion 43 meshing with the gear-wheel 40 to provide for impartingreverse rotations to said wheels. Both the drive and idler pinions 42and 43 are arranged within the oscillatory gearing-holder 38; but thedrive-pinion 42 is mounted fast on the drive-shaft 29, so as to bepositively driven thereby.

The oscillatory gearing-holder 38, carrying the pair ofreversely-rotating gear-wheels 40 and 41, is provided at one sidethereof with an elongated keeper 44, within which plays an Thesaidupright swinging triplever 45 is pivotally and loosely mounted at itslower end on the driveshaft 29 at one side of the gearing-holder and atan intermediate point is provided with a segmental yoke 46, whichreceives and freely plays over the stub-sl1aft carrying the pinion 35and the master-gear 37. Above its yoke 46 the trip-lever 45 is providedwith an upwardly-disposed weighted arm 47, which overbalances thetrip-lever when thrown to either side of the axis of the master-gear 37,and thereby serves to hold either one of the reversely-rotatin-ggear-wheels positively in mesh with said master-gear;

The weighted arm 47 of the upright swinging trip-lever 45 is providedwith an oifstand ing horizontal trip-pin 48, which lies within the pathof the upstanding spaced tappetfingers 49, projected upwardly from theturntable 5, contiguous to the periphery thereof, and adapted toalternately engage with the trip-pin 48 to provide for automaticallyshifting the position of the trip-lever from one side of the axis of themaster-gear to the other.

TIO

, Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of thedrawings, with the gear-wheel 41 in mesh with the mastergear 37, thelatter gear will be rotated in a direction to provide for swinging theinclined elevator to one side of the plane of the threshing-machine.This swinging movement of the elevator continues until one of thetappet-fingers 49 engages with the horizontal trip-pin 48, therebythrowing the trip-lever into the opposite end of the keeper 44 andbeyond the axis of the master-gear 37. As the trip-lever is thus shiftedthe same, by reason of the overbalancing weighted arm 47 thereof, tiltsthe oscillating gearing-holder 38 upon its pivot, so as to disengage thegear-wheel 41 and throw the other reversely-rotating gear-wheel intomesh with the master-gear 37, thereby reversing the rotation of themaster-gear and swinging the inclined elevator in the oppositedirection. This operation repeats itself, and thereby provides forautomatically swinging the elevator back and forth in a lateraldirection.

In further explanation of the operation of the reversing mechanism itmay be assumed that with the weighted arm 47 in the position shown inFigs. 3 and 4 of the drawings the turn-table will be moving in thedirection indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3, thereby causing the tappet49 (shown in the lower portion of Fig.3) to approach the trip-pin 48.When said tappet engages the trip-pin, the elongated keeper 44 permitsthe trip-lever to be thrown past the dead-center before engaging withthe opposite end of the keeper and overbalancing the gearing-holder 38,so as to disengage the gear-wheel 41 and throw the otherreversely-rotating gear 40 into mesh with the master-gear. Thegearing-holder 38 is prevented from following the initial movement ofthe trip-lever 45 on account of being weighted sufficiently at each sideof its pivot to hold either of the gear-wheels 40 or 41 in mesh with themaster-gear, and, as shown in the drawings, the clearance-recess 39 atthe top of the gearing-holder produces heavy side arms, which combinewith the weight of the wheels 40 and 41 to serve to hold thegearing-holder overbalanced in either position.

To provide for the adjustment of the inclined elevator in a verticaldirection, while at the same time permitting a free lateral playthereof, there is employed a suspending-cable 50, which cable passesunder the elevatorframe 11 at an intermediate point and engages in thenotched plates 51, fitted to the under side of said frame contiguous tothe hinge-joint 12 thereof. One end of the cable 50 fastens to atraveler-sheave 52, which has mounted thereon a guide-pulley 53, aroundwhich the cable passes, and the other end thereof is attached to aWindlass-shaft 54,

journaled transversely of the elevator-frame beneath the same andprovided at one end with a crank-handle and a pawl-and-ratchet checkdevice 56 to prevent the same from turning after adjustment. Through themedium of the Windlass-shaft 54 the elevatorframe 11 may be readilyraised or lowered to adjust the same to any desired inclination.

The traveler-sheave 52 has mounted therein a traveler-wheel 57, whichrides upon the horizontal curved track 58, sustained in an elevatedposition above the plane of the threshing-machine. The horizontal curvedtrack 58 is of a segmental form and is provided at intervals with oifsetsockets 59 arranged out of the passage of the traveler-wheel 57 andreceiving therein the upper ends of the supporting-standards 60. Apluralityof the supporting-standards 60 are grouped around the rear endportion of the threshing-machine casing and are upwardly divergent toprovide for the proper bracing and support of the segmental or curvedtrack 58, and the lower ends of said supporting-standards 60 aredetachably fitted in inclined sockets 61, fastened to the rear uprightpost of the threshing-machine framework, as plainly shown in Fig. 1 ofthe drawings.

All of the upwardly-convergent supportingstandards 60 have brace-armconnections 62 engaging therewith at intermediate points to provideaperfectly rigid supporting structure for the track, so that the samewill easily withstand the weight of the elevator without interferingwith the free operation thereof.

To provide for properly directing the cable 50 from the traveler-sheave52 to the Windlassshaft 54, the guide-pulley 53 is preferably mounted ina sheave having a swivel or other equivalent connection with thetraveler 52, as plainly shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings. Furthermore, itwill be understood that in operating the Windlass-shaft to provide forpaying out or taking up the cable 50 the notched plates or brackets 51permit of the cable readily slipping therethrough, so as to preventtwisting of the elevator-frame. When the said frame has been onceadjusted at the proper inclination through the medium of the cable 50and the Windlass-shaft, the track 58 and the traveler 52 permit of thefree oscillation of the frame without disturbing these adjustments.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, andmany advantages of the herein-described automatic strawstackerattachment will be readily understood by those skilled in the artwithout further description, and it will be further understood thatchanges in the form, proportion, size, and the minor details ofconstruction within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantagesof this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is-

- 1. In an automatic straw-stacker, the combination with thesupporting-base, of a horizontal oscillatory turn-table carrying thestraw-elevator, and provided with a gear-segwent a pinion meshing withsaid segment, a master-gear for rotating the pinion, an oscillatorygearing-holder carrying a pair of spaced reversely and continuouslyrotating gearwheels, an oscillatory trip-lever for oscillating saidgearing-holder, and means for actuating said trip-lever by the movementof the turn-table, substantially as set forth.

2. In an automatic straw'stacker, the combination with thesupporting-base, of an oscillatory turn-table carrying thestraw-elevator and provided with a gear-segment and spacedtappet-fingers, a pinion meshing with said gear-segment, a master-gearfor rotating said pinion, a drive shaft, an oscillatory gearing-holderpivotally mounted on the drive-shaft, and provided at one side with atransverselyarranged keeper, a pair of reversely and continuouslyrotating wheels carried by the gearing-holder respectively at oppositesides of the drive-shaft, and driven from the latter, an uprightswinging trip-lever pivotally supported at its lower end on thedrive-shaft and having a play within said keeper, said trip-lever beingprovided at its upper end with a weighted overbalancing-arm and with anoifstanding horizontal trip-pin adapted to be alternately engaged by thespaced tappet-fingers of the turntable, substantially as set forth.

3. In a straw-stacker, the combination of a supporting-table having abracketbeam provided at its ends with upstanding journalplates, saidjournal-plates having laterallyprojecting journal-pins disposed in thesame direction, an elevator-frame having a pair of pendent hinge-armsprovided with hearingcollars loosely and detachably engaging the saidjournal-pins, and an endless elevator working over said frame,substantially as set forth.

4. In a straw-stacker, the combination of a curved track supported in afixed position above the casing of a threshing-machine, an oscillatoryturn-table, an elevator-frame supported upon said turn-table, atraveler-sheave carrying a traveler-roller riding upon said track, and asuspending-cable connecting gear-' the elevator-frame Withsaidtraveler-sheave, substantially as set forth. I

5. In a straw-stacker attachment, the combination of a horizontal curvedtrack sup ported in a fixed position above a threshingmachine at therear end thereof, an oscillatory turn-table, a laterally-swingingelevatorframe hinged upon the turn-table, a travelersheave carrying aroller riding upon said track, a suspendingcable connecting saidtraveler-sheave with the elevator-frame, and an adjusting device mountedupon the ele vator-frame and connected with the suspending-cable toprovide for raising and lowering said frame, substantially as set forth.

6. In a straw-stacker attachment, the combination of a horizontal curvedtrack supported in a fixed position above a threshingmachine, anoscillatory turn-table, an inclined elevator-frame hinged upon theturntable, a traveler-sheave carrying a traveler riding upon the track,and also having a guide-pulley, an adj listing-Windlass mounted on theelevator-frame, a suspending-cable attached at one end to atraveler-sheave and embracing the elevator-frame at an intermediatepoint, said suspending-cable passing around said guide-pulley and havingits other end connected to the Windlass, substantially as set forth.

7. In a straw-stacker attachment, the combination With thethreshing-machine casing, of a plurality of sockets fitted to theframework of the casing at the rear end thereof, a plurality ofupwardly-convergent supportingstandards fitted at their lower ends insaid sockets, a horizontal curved track detachably supported upon theupper ends of the plurality of standards, a traveler-sheave carrying atraveler-roller riding upon the track, a laterally-swingingvertically-movable elevatorframe, and a suspending-cable connecting thetraveler-sheave with said elevator-frame, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixedmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM C. VVILKA.

Witnesses:

E. L. PARTCH, B. L. RICHARDS.

